The Wheel of Time Casting Call, Tier 3, Part 10

Almost done with Tier 3. Next week will be the last. It’s been a long process. I still have to nail down Berelain (hah!), but other than that, there is no one on this list that I feel badly about.
I can already tell from some of my choices this week that there will be disagreement. I’m cool with that, and try to explain my reasoning on a couple that don’t seem to match exactly.

Spymaster extraordinaire, Balwer is one of the best information-gatherers we’ve seen in the series. He was the spymaster first for Pedron Niall, and then became Perrin’s after showing Our Hero how capable he was. He is described as narrow and pinched with knobby shoulders and a disapproving mouth.

Look no further than Michael Emerson for a narrow, pinched man with a disapproving mouth. He has the kind of voice that makes me think he’s always talking sarcastically, which fits the way I picture Balwer’s voice.

Places you’ve possibly seen him:
Lost
Saw
Private Practice

Selucia

Tuon’s so’jhin bodyguard and friend, Selucia is never far from Tuon’s side. It is hinted that she is a deadly warrior, but she is also Tuon’s maid and confidant. Selucia is described as being beautiful with blue eyes, gold hair and creamy skin. Standing at average height, the left side of her scalp is shaved and she appears to be in her mid-forties.

I probably would have finally given Scarlet Johannson a role in the movie had Selucia been a bit younger, but instead, Anne Heche wins this one. She is a very capable actress, and fits the physical description well.

Places you’ve possibly seen her:
Ellen
Men in Trees
The Other Guys

Sheriam Bayanar

Sheriam was always a pretty likable character until around Lord of Chaos or so. She was one of the Aes Sedai that Moiraine trusted, and seemed to be on the Supergirls’ side as well. Long before we found out about her real loyalties, though, she took a turn for lame. Her firey hair is always mentioned, and often she is mentioned as slightly plump. Tilted, green eyes, too.

I figured her to be the same age as Moiraine and Siuan (based on New Spring), so went with Debra Messing here. Debra fits most of the physical description, and is a good enough actress to play the little-bit-o-crazy that Sheriam becomes eventually.

Places you’ve possibly seen her:
Will and Grace
Nothing Like the Holidays
The Starter Wife

Shiaine Avarhin / Mili Skane

Shiaine first appears in The Eye of the World, trying to kill Mat and Rand on their way to Caemlyn. She has since shown up a few other times, and then eventually took on a bit of a leading role around Winter’s Heart, when it was revealed that she, Daved, and several black Ajah are staging something major around Elayne in Caemlyn. She is about the same age as Nynaeve, dark hair, and pretty.

Here is one I figured would see a bit of disagreement, as Jennifer Connelly is a good bit older nowadays than Nynaeve. However, I really felt this role needed to go to a mature actress, and just really like Connelly for the part. She physically fits the description fine.

Places you’ve possibly seen her:
The Hulk
Requiem for a Dream
Blood Diamond

Silviana Brehon

One of the few red Ajah members with half a brain, Silviana becomes the Mistress of Novices in the White Tower after Elaida’s coup, and is forced to beat Egwene often when she is captured. She stands up to Elaida and is stripped of her position, but Egwene eventually rewards her properly. She is stocky, square-faced, and tall, and wears her dark hair in a bun. She has a stern demeandor.

Though she is not very stocky, I like Sigourney Weaver for this role. She is tall, strong, bluff-faced, dark-haired, and I can definitely picture her spanking people. . . did I say that out loud? Also, she hasn’t played enough serious roles lately, and should get back in the spotlight.

Places you’ve possibly seen her:
Avatar
Baby Mama
Ghostbusters

Sorilea

The oldest, toughest, meanest, bad-assest Wise One we have met, Sorilea is a match for just about every person she meets. She fears very little (publicly), and has no problem standing up to anyone, including people much more powerful than she. She forms an alliance with Cadsuane, and may be one of the likeliest candidates for a darkfriend Aiel. She is very old, all skin and bones, with white hair.

There are very few old actresses still living that could pull off Sorilea both physically and characteristically, but Cloris Leachman could do it. She has played many fierce characters in her long life, and has also kept in shape enough to play an Aiel (Dancing with the Stars).

Sulin is a tough-as-nails Maiden of the Spear. She baby’s Rand for many books, then goes into full ass-kicking mode when it is found that he has been kidnapped. She is described as wirey and leathery, with white hair and blue eyes.

I had to go with Helen Hunt on this. Seriously, look at her. Give her white hair and let her work out for a bit and she’s good to go. Plus, she’s in dire need of someone to come around and kick some sense into her career.

Suroth was a Seanchan noblewoman and darkfriend who first shows up in The Great Hunt and then messes with Our Heroes for several books before finally being ousted. She has black eyes, and the sides of her head are shaved with a long crest of dark hair, and is “the same height as Liandrin.”

This one took some thinking. The problem was, I was never sure if she was dark-skinned or not. Some of the pictures I’ve found of her show her as dark, some light. Her in-book description never says one way or another (which should probably have been a good hint, since all the darker-skinned peoples in WoT are mentioned as such).

So I chickened out and picked an actress that falls between dark and light-skinned, Jennifer Beals. While she doesn’t necessarily have a history of playing severe-type characters (such as Suroth), I find that physically she looks the part, and I believe she is fully capable of pulling it off. This would be one of the actors I’ve chosen that I am not 100% satisfied with, and would be willing to change should anyone ever mention a better choice.

Places you’ve possibly seen her:
The Book of Eli
Lie to Me
Runaway Jury

Sylvase of House Caeren

Sylvase first shows up around WH/CoT as the High Seat of House Caeren in Caemlyn. She throws in her support of Elayne, and even offers to torture Elayne’s opposition once they are captured. She is sturdy and placid, a little older than Elayne Trakand, and is pretty with alert blue eyes.

I could find no info on her hair color, so I went with Sarah Wayne Callies, who has a pretty blank stare (so would match the description given to Sylvase of “vapid gaze”). I feel she portrays herself well in the roles I’ve seen her in, and could pull off a noble.

Places you’ve possibly see her:
Prison Break
Bittersweet
Whisper

Talmanes of House Delovinde

Talmanes is a member of a Cairhienin noble house and a senior officer of the Band of the Red Hand after working with Mat during the Aiel siege on Cairhein. He is stoic and quiet, but opens up a bit by later books. He is shorter and a little older than Mat, and has the front of his head shaved in typical Cairheinen style.

I want Jensen Ackles for this role. Granted, Jensen rarely plays the ‘stoic and reserved’ character, but I really like the idea of him becoming one of Mat’s most trusted lieutenants, and also of having to play father with Olver. And of him shaving his head. Yeah, I like Ackles.

Like this:

6 Responses to “The Wheel of Time Casting Call, Tier 3, Part 10”

Wasn’t Mili Skane supposed to be “fox-faced”, like in her appearance in A Crown of Swords? I wouldn’t call Jennifer Connelly that, by any stretch. I’d see her as Berelain before Shiaine. (Not that she’s really all that sultry…I just always had a crush on her.)

This may just be me, but I always picture Sebban Balwer as quite a bit older than your suggestion. Also Selucia, I’m pretty sure she was described as more buxom with ample breasts….? Anne Heche is quite sharp and bony.

I agree with alfvaen and seenie’s comments (apart from the crush part, heheh).

Your Sheriam is a good match, and whilst Weaver isn’t that stocky exactly she’d still make a good Silviana, you’re right.

I think your Sylvase is too pretty, but that may just be a preference thing but the character is described as ‘not quite pretty’ and sturdy’ on the WoT Encyclopedia. Wayne Callies is not sturdy.

Talmanes is Cairhienin and therefore short, he’s stated as you say as shorter than Mat, who is 5’11-6’…. Ackles is six foot/six foot one. On a personal note, I find him way too hot to play such a character too 😉 But that’s irrelevant here, as it’s your list.

Hunt as Sulin could work… I’ve never seen her in a physical role, which makes the choice that more exciting.

Heche does not work as Selucia; wrong body type. Connelly and Callies are both too beautiful. Hunt as a tough Aiel? I don’t think so.
On the positive side, great choices for Balwer, Sheriam, Sorilea, Suroth and Talmanes.

Anyone who doesn’t agree with that Balwer pick has never watched Person of Interest. That is the most perfect-est person you could ever pick for that part and I’m amazed I hadn’t him pictured him like that since he was introduced.